‘Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible (Hebrews 11:1-3).’

I’ve been toying with this subject of ‘Logic Verses Faith’ for some time, and I’ve been diffident whether to pursue it here on my blog, because whatever I write, I want to build up believers in their faith, and I also want to give to those who do not have it, an inkling as to what it’s like for the believer who does.

The Challenge

A Christian is a person with God-given *faith. He receives it as a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8). It has nothing in common with man’s ability to reason, which we call logic. Faith does not rely upon tangible objectivity that is confirmed by the five senses, and yet in itself it is not illogical; for it exists in the mind, and it makes sense for the one who has it. It is just as real for him as logical, tangible objectivity is for the one who does not have God’s gift.

The thinking, logical unbeliever will challenge the believer by saying his faith is not real; therefore it is invalid. It makes no sense, because it’s neither rational nor objective. The believer will counter that argument by saying his faith is very real, and it works in practice. He will say that when he prays in faith to God, God will respond in His own time. His response may not always be evident, and, indeed, He may never reveal the outcome to the believer, but whatever it is, it is always for his good (Romans 8:28).

Faith is an inward trust in God that may be confirmed by the visible outward actions of the one who has faith; for example, a **martyr manifests his faith by his stand for Christ – even to the point of death. He does not recant his belief. He courageously takes a leap of faith into God’s presence, with an ardent longing to be with Him. He may recall Paul’s words, ‘For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).’

This is far from the logic of the unbeliever; but for the faithful in Christ it is his unshakable logic. He knows that Christ died and rose from the dead; and that he too will be resurrected to life in Him.

“What better logic can there be?” asks the believer.

For him it’s not a rhetorical question, because God has given him a steadfast faith, and he knows it! God proves it to him through the testimony of the Spirit who indwells his soul. Christ and the Holy Spirit live in him (John 14:20; 1 Corinthians 6:19); therefore for him his faith is entirely logical. Everything makes sense to him, and he rejoices in His gracious and loving Saviour.

The unbeliever yet again questions the believer, and asks, “What about Noah’s ark? How could all those animals get into the ark, and how could they survive that long? And, really, how could Jesus be born of a virgin? Furthermore, how could God create the world in six days, when twenty-four days did not exist? And don’t the scientists prove rightly that the world is trillions of year old?”

You can see that from the unbeliever’s viewpoint the Bible is nothing more than a collection of fairytales; fantasies created by men. He says there’s no difference between the Bible and any other book. It’s just a book.

The man of faith knows the unbeliever is in a hopeless position. He is spiritually dead, and thus he is spiritually blind (1 Corinthians 2:14). Although he lives in the flesh, He is unable to engage with the Spirit of Truth. He cannot ‘look’ on Christ ‘and be saved’, (cf. Isaiah 45:22) because God has not opened his spiritual eyes with the salve of faith. The believer knows this, because he once was blind, but now he can see.

The Reality of Logical Faith

Both the believer and the unbeliever physically live in a fallen and cursed world, but the believer in his faith truly lives in another realm – in God’s spiritual kingdom. He has a dimension of existence that the other does not have. The unbeliever lives in the spiritual kingdom of the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), and he is unable to escape his clutches, unless the Son of God rescues him. Sadly the lost soul cannot cross over from the kingdom of spiritual death into the kingdom of spiritual life without being given the breath of life (Job 33:4), i.e., the vital oxygen of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 3:3-8).

Until that happens he can never understand and know the logic of God-given faith. He cannot through his own efforts break free from the shackles of spiritual and physical death. He is blind, deaf and dumb. Only Jesus can give him eternal life (John 3:16). He does this by opening the eyes of the faithless. He opens their ears to hear, and He gives them hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26). It’s all of Him and nothing of them. They were dead in their trespasses and sin; unable to escape the clutches of the evil one. But in God’s mercy, by faith, they were drawn to Him. The logic and reality of God-given faith is very real to them.

If you are not yet a partaker of this faith and desire it; God will not refuse your request (Matthew 7:7). Ask, Him; ‘taste and see’ (Psalm 34:8), for God is good.

‘…. since we are surrounded by so great a crowd of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1, 2).’

‘“And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name (Acts 10:42, 43 [ESV]).”’

The gospel of Jesus Christ has never been comfortable for those who hear it. Even for the converted, on hearing and understanding (Matthew 13:23) the gospel for the first time, it is a disturbing experience; but why?

Because the revelation of Jesus Christ in all His glory and holiness is an awesome, life-transforming experience. On account of the intervention of the Holy Spirit, the newborn in the Spirit know they are no longer condemned (Romans 8:1). They have been given complete forgiveness, because their sins have been washed away by the atoning blood of the Lamb (cf. Revelation 12:11).

On hearing and understanding the gospel (Matthew 13:23), the Holy Spirit revealed to them their *total depravity, i.e., their evil nature. They acknowledged their loathsome and despicable state before God. They realised they were obnoxious to Him, and their actions and idolatrous lusts made them deserving of death (Romans 1:32). They were a stench before His nostrils, and yet, in His great mercy and forgiveness (cf. Exodus 34:6) He looked upon them with compassion, and He removed His just wrath from them (cf. Isaiah 54:8-17).

Furthermore He demonstrated His great love (Romans 5:8) by giving them His Son (John 3:16) as a sacrifice to appease His anger. In effect, the second Person of the Trinity, by dying on the cross, suffered the punishment due them. God the Father also suffered, as He observed the unimaginable suffering of His Son. In this suffering and alienation, Jesus placated His Father’s wrath and removed it from the repentant sinner.

Paul explained to the Roman church that God set forth His Son ‘to be a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness …. that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26).’

When faced with the truth that every person will be judged (Hebrews 9:27), the unregenerate, on account of their carnal nature, naturally resent being told they are guilty. But at the end of time they will find themselves standing before the Supreme Judge, who will be seated on His white throne (Revelation 20:11-15). They will claim they are innocent, and they will have the audacity to come up with plaintive pleas. This will not wash with the Judge, and they will be found guilty. He will sentence them to be incarcerated into hell where they will experience everlasting torment (cf. Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50).

Mercy

But where there is condemnation there is also mercy (Exodus 34:7).

If beforehand, during his first life, a person confesses his guilt before Almighty God, and he humbles himself, and he repents and believes; God will forgive him (Acts 2:21). He will be accounted righteous (Romans 4:5), and at the resurrection he will appear before the judgment seat of Christ(2 Corinthians 5:10, 11), where he will be found not guilty. Furthermore, he will be given an inheritance which Christ has laid up beforehand for him in heaven (John 14:2; 1 Peter 1:4).

In view of the above, why is it that preachers are reluctant to present the whole truth regarding God’s justifiable punishment of sinners who do not repent? Why do they shy away from preaching the whole truth? By excluding words such as: accursed (1 Corinthians 16:22), wrath (Romans 1:18), gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12), fire, brimstone (Psalms 11:6) and torment (Revelation 14:11), they do not present the full gospel. Neither are they merciful; for by not preaching the whole gospel they preclude the hearers from fully understanding and receiving the blessings of God’s mercy.

To present a sugar-coated, diluted gospel is itself an anathema. Paul warned against such preaching – that includes the preaching of an incomplete gospel. With conviction and passion he wrote, “Let them [false preachers] be accursed (Galatians 1:8)!”

Finally: ‘But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul (Ezekiel 3:19).’

‘And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does no have life (1 John 5:11, 12).’

When we read or hear testimonies they often follow a pattern consisting of three parts: (1) What the person was like before conversion. (2) How they were converted. (3) What they are like after their conversion. These are often self-centred ‘I/me’ testimonies. Somewhere in the middle, or at the end, a mention is made of Jesus. Now, of course, not all testimonies follow this pattern.

But What does the Bible have to Say about Testimonies?

We find that the testimonies of the saints in the New Testament invariably point to Christ. They focus on Him, and they tell of things they saw and heard concerning Him. They tell of their personal experiences, and of God’s truths that the Spirit has revealed to them (John 16:13).

The greatest testimony came from Jesus Himself, when He said, ‘“Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness (John 3:11).’ The whole of the Godhead testified through the Son (John 8:18).

Nicodemus and the Pharisees were blind to the fact that the promised Messiah had come, and that He was present with them. Despite meeting and hearing Him, they would not receive His testimony. They would not receive Him as their God – their Emmanuel (cf. Matthew 1:23). However, others, including many Gentiles, saw and heard Him, and they believed and testified that He was the Messiah (John 4:39, 42).

Jesus more than once testified of Himself. He said,‘“He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony (John 3:31, 32).”’ He also said, “I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me (John 8:18).”’

John the Apostle wrote: ‘And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows he is telling the truth, so that you may believe (John 19:35).’

The whole of John’s Gospel is a personal testimony that accords *glory to Christ for His work of salvation. He declared, ‘And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).’

This is the purpose of testimonies (1 Timothy 1:15). They are to point to the Lord Jesus who saves (John 3:16, 17), and they are to tell of His glory. They should also tell of the judgment to come (cf. John 5:24).

Peter in Acts 10:40-43, while speaking to the household of Cornelius, said to them, ‘Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

Yes, whenever we have opportunities to witness, let us ‘testify to the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24),’and by all means, speak of our own transformation (2 Corinthians 5:17) through the workings of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8). But let us make it a priority to tell of the *glory of God’s Son, so that people may look to Him and be saved.

God spoke to the nations through the prophet Isaiah saying,’”Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other (Isaiah 45:22).”’

At the bottom of my garden there’s the most wonderful weeping willow, and at this time of the spring equinox, its sprouting leaves are a lime green. As the cool east wind blows, the boughs respond; they curtsy, sway and bob. Scintillatingsunlightreflects from this shimmering vision. The tree is vibrant, full of *life. Hidden beneath its weathered bark, and within the channels of its trunk, life-giving sap syphons upward from well-spread roots, to the graceful fingertips of this alluring creature.

I remember planting this willow as a sapling. Over the years it has grown, and mushroomed; not unlike the figurative mustard tree (Luke 13:18, 19) spoken of by Jesus, in which the ‘birds of the air’ nested. Collar doves have made it their home. They love perching on its highest branches from where they can survey their patch of lawns, borders, shrubs, and a cosy arbour entwined with trailing honeysuckle, yet to blossom. Squirrels, robins, great tits, and a nocturnal badger share this space. Thriving, colourful, herbaceous plants display their beauty. Primroses, polyanthus, daffodils and tulips offer their fragrant scent to a solitary buzzing bee. Their leaves absorb the sun’s rays for energy and delight in its warmth. At sunset, they furl their petals to protect themselves from the starry night’s sharp frost.

God’s life-giving power is plainly seen in every one of His creatures. Even the daises display His beauty – and, just hear the cheerful, chattering notes of our resident robin, as he valiantly defends his territory. Don’t tell me there is no God!

‘For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened (Romans 1:20, 21).’

All Growth Comes from God

All growth comes from God (cf. Psalm 65:10), because He gives life (John 6:63) to every living thing, and where there is life there is growth. However, here’s what Paul wrote to the Ephesian **church:

‘…. we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ – from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:14-16).’

The ‘body’ is the church – itself a spiritual organism, composed of ‘living stones’.

Peter, addressing the churches of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia encouraged them with these words:

‘Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil, speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy ***priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:1-5).’

From the writings of these two apostles we learn that the church is a ‘body’ composed of ‘living stones’. Its members are united in Christ, and they work together as one in Him. They feed ‘upon the pure milk of the word,’ which nourishes them, and they ‘live’ by it (Matthew 4:4). Jesus gives them His ‘living water’ (John 4:10-13) upon which they feed, and grow. They are built together in the love of Christ, who is their Head (Ephesians 5:23).

They are a ‘spiritual house’, a ‘holy priesthood’ who offer ‘spiritual sacrifices’ to ‘God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5).’

“Thanks be to God for all who are called to be saints; for those who ‘call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:2).’”

‘Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirt, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality (Romans 12:9-13).’

As I write this I’ve just returned home from shopping at Tesco Extra. The visit there, first thing this morning, was extraordinary. In eight decades I’ve never seen such queues! It took two hours and forty minutes from start to finish, to complete our shopping.

One thing struck me, and that was the dedication of workers at checkouts. None of them were wearing protective masks to keep them safe from the Coronavirus. Being on the frontline, and coming into contact with thousands of customers, they are at great risk, and yet they serve cheerfully.

That brings me to the subject of this blog – Serving One Another.

While out yesterday doing my usual walk, two ladies enquired if I needed any help with shopping. I happened to know one of them, but the other was a complete stranger. Both gave me their contact details in case I should need help during the lockdown that is expected soon. Schools have closed, and only the children of key-workers will be permitted to attend.

I must say I was heartened to think that they cared about my welfare and offered themselves to serve me. My immediate neighbours have also said they will help me and my wife if we are confined to our house.

My church has cancelled all meetings until further notice, and brothers and sisters are *looking out for one another. Where help is required they are there to provide it. We are keeping in touch via What’s App, emailing and telephoning. All past sermons are available online, and no doubt more will be uploaded as time passes.

In these unprecedented times there are special opportunities for serving one another.

Jesus, the One who Serves

In God’s timing He sent His Son to serve and to save those who repent of their sins and believe in Him (Mark 1:15; John 12:47).

Jesus said, ‘“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Mark10:45).”’ He also said, ‘“For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves (Luke 22:27).”’

On the evening before His betrayal, Jesus draped a towel around Himself and washed the feet of His twelve disciples, including the feet of Judas, the one He knew would betray Him (John 13:11).

John tells us: ‘…. He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded (v. 5).’

He said, ‘“You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, happy are you if you do them (vv. 13-17).’

Jesus was, and is, the ultimate Servant. There’s no greater servant; for the Creator of the universe humbled Himself (Philippians 2:8) to make us clean by washing all of our sins away (Revelation 1:5).

Paul writing to the Philippians exhorted them with these words:‘Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:4-8).’

In all of this, our greatest privilege is serving one another; for when we serve one another, we are serving the Lord (Romans 12:10, 11).

‘For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together (Romans 8:15-17).’

There are millions of children who have no parents, and they live in dire circumstances with little prospect of having a safe and secure future. Thousands are exploited by ruthless criminals who see them as commodities – objects or things that can be *trafficked and abused. When of no use to them, they are discarded, forgotten – irreparably damaged – broken, in mind, body and spirit.

The weapons used by these debased, manipulative, slave masters are psychological and physical abuse. They impose all kinds of deprivations, including restriction of movement – even imprisonment! They take from them any sense of self-worth. Trapped in slavery, they are stateless and without rights. In their poverty, anguish and pain, they find themselves totally dependent upon their unscrupulous slave masters, who, if they so wish, can sell them to the highest bidder.

They are destitute **orphans without hope of rescue.

Thankfully in the UK the great majority of orphans are not exploited or abused. Although they have no natural parents they are cared for by foster parents or they are ***adopted.

Local authorities are required by law to provide care for orphans and for children who are at risk from their own parents. If they cannot be looked after by relatives or friends, the local authority is obliged to find suitable foster parents who will take them into their own homes. These children may be offered the chance of adoption, and if they are adopted, they have the same legal rights as the natural siblings.

There are no orphanages in the UK, but a child who has severe behavioural problems and who needs intensive remedial therapy, may be placed in a group home with social workers and carers.

All of Us are Orphans from Birth!

The truth is we all enter life as orphans, although we may have the most wonderful, loving and caring parents.

So, how can this be?

Well, we are born as sinners (Romans 3:23), estranged from God the Father on account of our ****depravity. We are helpless babes addicted to sin. Yet He sees our need and fully understands our bondage to sin and our inability to break free of it. In His great mercy and compassion (Romans 9:15) He sends His Son on a rescue mission to redeem us to Himself (Revelation 5:9), and to adopt (Ephesians 1:5) us as sons and daughters into His family.

When speaking before the multitudes, Jesus asked them, “Who is My mother and My brothers?” Then pointing to His disciples He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother (Matthew 12:48-50)!’

These heartwarming and astonishing words declare that all who do the will of the Father are His sons and daughters. Through His Son He gives us the right to become His children (John 1:12, 13). He adopts us into His family. Furthermore He makes us ‘heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together (Romans 8:17).’

Our bondage to fear has been banished (v. 15), and we have an amazing relationship with “Abba Father” to His glory and our glorification with Him (v. 17).

Paul reminds us, ‘that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us (v. 18).’

If we believe and trust in God’s Son, we are no longer orphans.

‘But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12, 13).’

‘“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life (John 6:63).”’

How Does the Dictionary Define Life?

My dictionary defines it as: ‘The condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter. Animals and plants have the capacity to grow and to function in various ways, because they have life. They continually change and eventually die, but the lifecycle continues through the propagation of offspring.

Physical Life

God, the Word (John 1:1), created creatures with life in them, and He also created objects and matter that in themselves had no life. He made them distinctly different. For example, compare a gazelle to a rock, and it’s obvious a gazelle has life, but a rock is stone dead! The living creature can move of its own accord, but the dead rock remains where it happens to be.

Colloquially they are as different as chalk and cheese! However, in reality, chalk and cheese are not so very different, because, although cheese has life within it, i.e., living organisms; both chalk and cheese are unable to voluntarily move themselves from one location to another. And commonly they are subject to physical metamorphosis on account of the natural process of decomposition, but cheese decomposes quickly, and rock decomposes very slowly, over eons.

So, then, there are two physical types with life in them: the animalistic type, which is capable of independent movement, and the plant or vegetable type, which is bound to particular locations. Over time, both experience intrinsic *change, and commonly they eventually die.

The life that God originally gave to His created beings (Genesis 1:21; 2:19) continues to this day, and it is found in all living things. Species reproduce themselves, and occasionally they mutate, but their ‘sort’ (6:19 ) is fixed by their genetical makeup. Dogs are of the canine ‘sort’ , no matter how they are interbred by men; and they can never mutate to become other sorts.

Because of God’s mercy and providence, He continues to preserve and sustain physical life on earth (Hebrews 1:3).

Spiritual Life

John’s Gospel declares that Jesus is the ‘Word’, who was with God in the beginning; and, not only was He with Him in the beginning, but He was God (John 1:1, 2)! He always existed from before time, and, ‘In Him was life, and the life was the light of men (v. 4). He was Life and life was in Him (14:6)!’

Both the Father and the Son, who are One, are the givers of life, as this next text testifies: ‘“For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will (5:21).”’

But what kind of ‘life’ is this?

God gives ‘physical’ life to all living creatures. Without it they can not experience or know anything. They cannot feel things, they cannot see them, nor can they hear them, or taste them. But the ‘life’ referred to in the verse above is not this ‘common’ life that He gives to every living creature; it is the ‘everlasting life’ that is spoken of in John 5:24 and in 3:16, which goes as follows: ‘“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”’

This ‘everlasting life’ is quite distinct from organic, physical life, and it is brought into being by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8). It is ‘the gift of God’ that is given to recipients by His grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). The true gift is Jesus Christ Himself; for He is Life (John 14:6); He is the indescribable gift spoken of in 2 Corinthians 9:15.

So there are two types of life: physical and spiritual.

When a person is born through natural birth he first **experiences physical life, and according to God’s grace and favour he may be given new life by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8) who transforms his ***spirit, so that he becomes a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Not only does his heart beat because the ‘common’ spirit of life is in him, but because the ‘Holy Spirit’ dwells (2 Timothy 1:14) in him, and He can reiterate Paul’s words:

‘For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2),’ and he can take to heart the words of Jesus: ‘“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:36).”’ He has the free Spirit of Life which is not received by works (Ephesians 2:9).